R.I.P. Tucker

It was sad news I received this morning, via an email from my friends at TIRR Rescue.  My buddy Tucker, a big ol' boy I fell in love with the first time I saw him, had passed away in the night.

Tucker was one of the biggest Ridgebacks I had ever seen.  His paws were like the size of my fist.  But he was gentle and tolerant, being a supreme "leaner", enough so as to almost knock you off balance if you didn't realize what he was doing.  He enjoyed people, and got on well with every other dog I ever saw him with.

Soaking up attention.

He would have joined our pack, but for Cody.  We introduced Tucker to Shiloh and Cody once earlier this year.  Supremely confident, Tucker felt no need to exert his dominance over either dog.  There was no aggression.  Shiloh thought he was cute...but Cody, poor Cody, the life just drained out of him in the shadow of Tucker.  He was instantly demoted to third wheel, and he knew it.  He just sort of "wilted" there in the big run.  And though our whole family loved Tucker, we knew it wasn't fair to Cody in his waning years to take that emotional hit of demotion.  (Now some of you may wonder why we then got Indy.  Well, Cody did not take Indy's presence as a demotion, not at all.)

Tucker and my hat.

Tucker had a real showman's flair.  He adored sitting in a nylon folding chair, to better survey his domain!  Woe to the dog who dared steal Tucker's chair, or worse, chew it to ruin!  The King did not tolerate such insolence.  Yet Tucker also tolerated human silliness, with hats and glasses being placed on him.  It was a real crowd pleaser at adoptions, when he would sit in a chair,with a hat on, or glasses.

Tucker with lion's mane.

At Woofstock 2014.

Tucker, King of Chairs.  I will miss you, big guy.  Say hi to Charlie for me, ok?